If-RENT
by Wickedly Hope Pancake
Summary: *CROSSOVER WITH RENT* Elizabeth moves back to the city after living in Phoenix for ten years, and has a run-in with none other than our favorite bohemian moviemaker. Will they hit it off? (Mark/Elizabeth)
1. What If?

**Hey people! So...this Saturday I went to see If/Then and it was ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY PERFECT! Okay, so Idina Menzel wasn't in it...but Jackie Burns was AMAZING! So, if you haven't seen If/Then, I warn you! Spoilers ahead!**

**Plot idea: (If you haven't seen If/Then, look it up!) So...You know how Anthony Rapp plays a character (Lucas) who is scarily similar to Mark from RENT? Well, What if Elizabeth never went with Kate or Lucas, but _instead _went off on her own and met up with Mark?**

* * *

"How 'bout it Liz?"

"Whaddya say, Beth?"

I looked over at Kate, then back at Lucas.

Who should I go with? My new, self-proclaimed best friend, or my old, short-term college boyfriend? God, who do I obsess and debate like this?

_What if?_

_What if?_

But that's just it. That's why I came back, isn't it? What if I always belonged in the city?

Then again, what if I'm bound for disaster? But Damn, I'm flirting with forty, I don't have much time to think this way anymore…

Will I ever just learn how to live and not wonder what if?

"Well?"

I turned to look over at Kate, who was eagerly motioning to someone she had lovingly dubbed "Sexy Guitar Guy."

I looked back at Lucas, who was holding a flyer for his protest. No, sorry…it's not a protest, it's a "peaceful co-operative demonstration."

Just then, my phone rang. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and looked at the number.

"425?"

I looked over at Kate and Lucas, but their attentions were elsewhere.

I shrugged, hitting the ignore button and putting it back in my pocket.

"Actually guys…I think I'm going to go and take a drive. It's been a while, and I've missed this place."

"Okay, catch you later." Lucas shrugged, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"It's your life," Kate joked, pulling me into a hug.

"See you later."

I smiled, waving at both of them and turning to leave.

_No turning back…_

* * *

**Review?**


	2. Meeting Mark

**Okay, all you people out in the fanfiction universe, PLEASE let me know if this is a truly terrible idea! I won't continue if you think it's not all that good.**

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**A/N: Just so you know, (to keep true to both OBC musical timelines) I had to fill 14 years in the RENT timeline up until when Mark meets Elizabeth. So...this'll be interesting...**

It's been nearly two years since Mimi and Roger had last visited. About four years ago, Mimi and Roger had gotten hitched and moved out West to New Mexico. Personally, I don't see what Roger saw in that place…but hey, it's his life.

Maureen and Joanne had gotten married on August 25th, 2011. They adopted two kids, and they're now living in the Upper East Side. Ever since Maureen caught her big break, she's given up protesting for good. Now, she works as a singer and actress on Broadway.

Joanne works as an economical attorney and defendant for the minor population of NYC, and has earned herself quite a name as lawyer.

Collins died three years after Angel, to the day, and was buried right beside her.

And me? I'm still living in good old Alphabet City. My situation hasn't changed much since we all lived together, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I basically spend all my time working, volunteering at the community center, and trying to find a better paying job.

Currently, I'm working a job at the local television studio. Okay, so I'm the one who gets everyone lunch and coffee…and I kind of work in the mail room…but it's still a job. I've earned myself a reputation "That Guy who'll do anything for a buck" and I'm not proud of it.

If I stop to think about it, I really haven't done much with my life over the past fourteen years. And honestly, I hate it. When I first came here with my camera, I wanted to make a difference and work within the system to change the city.

Now, I'm just trying to get by. I haven't picked up my camera in two years, and I've basically become what Roger calls a "Stage Three Addictive Workaholic" So…I guess I've just fallen into my work, not stopping to think about where my life's going…the past few years have flown by in a blur…

* * *

I was riding my bike back from work when a black Sedan pulled right out in front of me, cutting me off.

"Hey! Watch it!" I yell, slamming down my brakes, but it's too late. I slam up against the bumper of her car and I fall over, wheels spinning. It takes me a minute to register that I'm lying in the middle of the road, but by then a woman gets out of the now-parked car and runs over to me.

"Oh my God, did…D-Did I just run you over?"

I got up, pulling my bike onto the sidewalk.

"It's fine. You'd be surprised how many times that happens on a regular basis." I said, looking up at her.

"Though, most people aren't as concerned for my safety as you are."

The woman, probably around my age, ran her fingers through her long, nut-brown hair, looking mortified.

"Oh God, I just ran someone over…"

I surveyed the damage done to my bike and swore, throwing down my helmet.

"What?"

I sighed heavily.

"The front wheel's bent, and the back brakes are broken." I say, looking up at her.

"But for a foreigner, I wouldn't expect you to understand the caliber of this situation."

"Excuse me?"

"You're not from the city, are you?" I say, looking over at her license plate.

"Arizona?"

She crosses her arms, giving me a disapproving look.

"For your information, I grew up in the Upper West Side, lived here until I was twenty one, and graduated from Vassar with a degree in urban planning."

"Well, good for you." I muttered, still looking over my bike. The damage could've been a lot worse, but the wheel straightening and the brake work will cost me at least a week's worth of double shifts at the studio, not to mention maybe a day or two of breakfast…

"H-Hang on a second." She ran back to her car, opening the door and pulling out her purse. She slammed to door and walked back over to me, rummaging through the bag and pulling out her wallet.

"Look, I-I feel terrible about all this, I-I really do. How much do you think the repairs will cost?"

"You don't have to do this, _really-_"

"_-How much?"_

_Geeze…somebody's persistent…_

"Okay…um…Probably a couple hundred dollars. At the most three, but-"

The lady opens up her wallet, and hands over _two hundred dollars._

"Do you think that'll cover it?"

My jaw drops.

"I-I can't take this." I tried to hand her back the money, but she held up her hands in protest.

"Look, it's _my _fault your bike's totaled, so _I _should be the one to pay for the repairs." She said, pulling a piece of paper and a pen out of her bag, scribbling something down and handing it to me.

"Here's my number. If the repairs cost anything more, just ring me up and I'll fit the bill."

I took the paper, putting it in my pocket and staring at her.

"…O-Okay. _You _are unreal." I mutter, trying to hand the money back to her.

"You don't even know me."

"You're not going to get me to take back that money. Look, I know this is a really crappy way of meeting and all, but…" She extended her hand to me.

"I'm Elizabeth."

I took her hand and shook it, warily.

"Mark. Mark Cohen."

"Well, Mark. I-I am SO sorry about running you over. Really."

I ran my fingers through my hair.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm a New Yorker, I've got a hard head."

She grinned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, and I think the helmet might've helped a little as well."

I rolled my eyes, picking my bike up and propping it up against the fence.

She walked back to her car, opening the door and putting her purse on the seat.

"Call me when you get your bike fixed."

I saluted, and she got in and started her car. I'm pretty sure she looked over her shoulder a good twenty times before pulling out and driving off down the street.

I scoffed, finally pocketing the money and rolling my bike in the direction of the subway.


	3. Coffee and names

**Thank you Elsa-Queen-of-Arendelle for your review! You're Awesome!  
**

**And Now, chapter three!**

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"You did WHAT?" Kate asked, a Styrofoam cup from Dunkin Donuts resting on her knee.

"I-In my defense, he just came out of nowhere!" I protested.

"Yeah…that's what they all say." Kate nodded, rolling her eyes.

"So…Did you actually_ run him over? _Or was it just a minor thing?"

I nearly choked on my coffee.

"A _minor _thing? I hit him with my car!"

"Girl, in New York, that _is _a minor thing. Get used to it."

I stared at her.

"I hit him with my car." I repeated again.

"Well, you didn't cripple the guy, did you?"

"No…just his bike…"

Kate cringed.

"Aw man…poor guy."

"...I-I gave him two hundred dollars."

This time it was Kate who nearly choked.

"Two _hundred?"_

"I-I felt guilty, okay?"

"Well…somebody's not too worried about this month's rent…" Kate remarked, nonchalantly taking a sip of her coffee.

I groaned, dropping my head into my hands.

"Oh God, I should just pack up and move back to Arizona."

"Just 'cause you hit a guy with your car? Honey, that's gonna happen…"

I looked up at her.

"Because I gave him two hundred bucks. And I told him that I'd pay if it was anything more."

Kate blinked, staring at me for a second.

"…Was he really cute?"

"Oh God…I-I don't know!"

I groaned, dropping my head back into my hands.

"A-Average, I guess? Maybe _kind of _hot?"

"Well, that settles it! Girl, if he's cute, you don't ask questions!"

"But, what if he's like…a drug dealer or something? Or an extremist…Kate, what if he's an extremist?" I grabbed her by the shoulders.

"There's no way he's an extremist, Liz. Calm down."

Just then, my phone rang.

Kate looked over at me.

"Is it hottie extremist biker guy?"

"You have a name for everyone in this city, don't you?" I rolled my eyes, glancing down at the caller ID.

"It's Lucas." I say, picking it up.

Kate gives me a disdainful look.

"Oh, _him._ Now, him? I don't have ANY words for him. Nope. None."

I laughed, picking up the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Beth!" Lucas yelled. He was obviously in a place with a lot of noise.

"I was wondering, you still coming to my group's co-operative demonstration tonight?"

I covered the receiver.

"Lucas's protest."

Kate looked disinterested.

"…What about it?"

"Beth? You still there?"

"Yeah, hang on." I turned back to Kate.

"He wants to know if I'm coming."

Kate looked impartial.

"…If you want to go…"

I uncovered the receiver.

"Hey, Lucas? You still there?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, I'm coming. What time is it?"

I heard talking over the phone, followed by yelling and Lucas mumbling something inaudible.

"Lucas? You there?"

"…Seven-thirty, in Times Square. Gotta go, somebody's trying to sell me their shirt."

The call ended, before I could ask any questions. Putting my phone back in my pocket, I turned to look at Kate.

"Any chance you want to head down to Time's Square with me?"

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**Please review! It would make my day!**


	4. Protests gone wrong

**Hey any-and-every-one who has taken the time to read this story: Thank you! You guys are AWESOME! And just for you, another chapter! YAY!**

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I had managed to convince Kate to come with me to Lucas's protest, though now, I was regretting it.

Kate groaned, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"I would rather be jumping off the Tappan Zee bridge."

I turned to her.

"Seriously? Kate, what is it that you have against protests?"

"Nothing. I can just think of some _far better _ways to be spending our time."

"_Like?"_

"_Like _trying to track down Hottie Extremist Biker Guy."

"For the last time! I'm probably never going to see him again! He's probably spending the money on booze or drugs or something!"

"OR, he could be a perfect model citizen and he's using the money to fix his bike. Liz, it's a fifty-fifty chance. One that you just gotta take!"

"I don't take chances."

"Well, you really should!" Kate protested, as we crossed the street leading towards Time's Square.

"Liz, think about it! If the pilgrims never took any chances, we'd still be living back in England! If Thomas Edison never took chances, we'd be living in a world with no lightbulbs! If Martin Luther King Jr. never…okay, _he'd_ probably still be alive…that's a bad example. But still!"

Kate kept rambling on, but I zoned out after the bit about the pilgrims.

And then, I saw him.

It was _him. _The biker I ran over with my car. What was his name? Started with an _M_…Mark! That was it!

He was wearing the same thing that he was when I had run him over: old, patched-up tweed jacket, knit sweater, and a black-and white striped scarf.

…Oh crap, why was he here? At Lucas's protest? What if he's one of those people who shows up at protests just to make trouble? Oh God, what if he WAS an extremist?

Kate stopped ranting and waved a hand in front of my face. Apparently, I'd been standing there for quite some time.

"Earth to Liz! Hello? Still in there?"

"Huh? O-Oh yeah. I'm fine." I muttered, glancing back over in Mark's direction.

Kate followed my gaze.

"Oooh, who's that?" She asked. Then, it hit her.

"That's him, isn't it? Hottie Extremist Biker Guy! He's not too bad to look at…NOW I see why you gave the guy two hundred bucks!"

"You just _had _to bring that up."

Kate beamed.

"You know what this is? This is FATE! It's a SIGN! A _sign_ that you two should hook up!

"Kate…" I glared at her. She knew I didn't believe in all that destiny mumbo-jumbo…

"No, think about it!" Kate said, clearly thinking this through.

"First you run the guy over with your car, THEN you meet him here! At Lucas's protest!"

"It's a coincidence."

"It's _fate. _You should go talk to him."

I slapped her with my purse.

"I am NOT going over there to talk to him!"

Kate smiled.

"Well, it's too late honey. Looks like _he's_ coming over to talk to _you._"

I cringed. I did _not _want to talk to him. But, there he was: walking straight towards me.

I looked through my purse in an attempt to act natural. _Yeah, natural my ass…_

He approached Kate and me, running a hand through his short, red-blonde hair.

"Hey, I know you!"

I smiled, though I _really _wanted to run back to my apartment right about now…

"Yeah, Mark? Right?"

"Yeah." He nodded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his khakis.

"And…Elizabeth?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

Kate, who had been watching the interaction from the sidelines, held her hand out to him.

"And I'm Kate, Liz's best friend and across-the-hall neighbor." She said, shaking hands.

"You're the one she ran over, right?"

He laughed.

"Yeah, that's me. Though, I'd rather be known as Mark, if it's all the same to you."

"Mark…I like it. Much better than Hottie Extremist Biker Guy." She said, winking.

"Wait…what?"

I closed my eyes, feeling my face flush. _Oh God, she just HAD to bring up the nickname, didn't she? How in the world was I supposed to explain this one?_

Mark looked over at me.

"_Hottie Extremist Biker Guy?"_

I shook my head, desperately hoping that my head and my mouth could agree with each other for once.

"I-It was nothing. I-I…Kate was…Oh shit, I sound like a babbling idiot…"

Mark grinned.

"No, don't worry about the nickname. I like it. It's got a nice ring to it."

_God, Kate was right. He IS hot…and he's got really, really blue eyes…_

"So, Elizabeth. What brings you down to Time's Square?"

"…W-What?" I asked, snapping out of my reverie. _Smooth move…_

"Oh. My old college boyfriend…I-I mean, my old…my _college_ _friend_ Lucas organized this protest and he invited me and Kate."

"Wait…Lucas? As in…Lucas?"

Kate, who had been enjoying watching her 38-year-old friend and neighbor act like a babbling 16-year-old, looked over at Mark.

"You know Lucas?"

"Yeah. His group meets at the community center where I volunteer. Nice guy."

Then, almost on cue, Lucas walked up to us.

"Hey, Beth! You made it!" He hugged me, not making this awkward situation any less awkward.

I was still smiling, and I still felt like the biggest idiot in all of New York.

Then Kate decided to break the silence.

"Well, Lucas. I see you decided to tell us about your good friend Mark, here."

"Oh, you know each other?"

Kate laughed, and Mark rubbed the back of his head.

"…Yeah…I know them alright."

_Thank God he didn't mention the whole me-running-him-over thing…_

"So, Lucas. What is this protest even about?"

* * *

After Lucas explained his group's ideals, (which took FOREVER) _then_ things started to go downhill. Apparently, someone brought a blowtorch and REALLY didn't get the idea of a "peaceful co-operative demonstration" and I heard that there were some unsettling motives behind it. And then there was that lady with a Rottweiler…

Anyway, long story short: we ended up shutting down a whole line of the Metro Station Subway and we were all arrested and held at the station for questioning.

So now Me, Kate, Lucas, Mark, and about ninety-five other people were sitting outside the NYPD, against the wall, with newly-filed arrest records.

Kate was currently giving me the silent treatment. I guess she wasn't too happy with me for dragging her along. And now she had a permanent mark on her record. But this wasn't the first time she'd had a run-in with the law, right?…hopefully, anyway…

Lucas was trying to reason with one of the officers, although it wasn't going over too well since _his _group was the reason for the temporary power failure…

And I was freezing my butt off sitting for God knows how long on the concrete walkway. I looked over to my left, and saw that Mark was sitting down next to me, staring off into space and fiddling with his scarf.

I nudged him with my shoulder.

"So this sure sucks, huh? Being arrested for not even doing anything?"

He shrugged.

"It's happened to me SO many times. I'm just used to it."

"…Really?" I remarked, a hint of uneasiness in my voice. _Oh God, he's probably an Extremist…_

"Yeah. When I first moved here I…well, I had a heap of a lot better morals than I do now…Anyway, I was a filmmaker."

"A…filmmaker?"

_Well…at least he's not an extremist…_

"Yeah. Geeky huh?"

I shook my head.

"No…not at all."

Mark smiled, looking down at his feet.

"Yeah, well…I used to date this girl who was REALLY big into the performing arts. You know, staged protests, modern dance, defying societal norms..."

"She really sounds like something."

"She was. Even got me to quit my job at the TV studio…"

"Wow. If you…don't mind me asking…W-What happened to the two of you two?"

He laughed.

"…Funny story actually…She ah…she dumped me for a lawyer…-"

"Oh."

"-named Joanne."

"Oh, Gosh…"

"Yeah, things were awkward for a while...But she was the one who convinced me to be something other than just another cookie-cutter member of society. To stand out and make a difference."

He scoffed and looked over at me, a trace of regret in his eyes.

"What happened?"

I looked over at him questioningly, and he sighed.

"I mean…now I've become exactly the kind of person I never wanted to be…Haven't picked up a camera in two years."

I honestly felt sorry for the guy. It sounded like he'd really wanted to make a difference in the city. Wanted to change people's lives…but somehow lost sight along the way…

…_Kind of like me._

I turned to face him.

"Hey listen, Mark, I think I still need to make up for running you over with my car. So after this whole thing is over, you want to grab some coffee or something?"

…_Was I going to regret this later?_

He looked over at me sheepishly.

"I-I um…I _really _would…but ah…I'm _kind of _on the brink of being completely broke. I'm living off of Ramen and granola bars…and I-I'm really not sure if I'd have any money to spare on coffee or anything…"

"…Look, don't worry about it. My treat."

Mark stared at me.

"A-Are you serious? First you give me two hundred to fix my bike, and then you offer to pay for coffee? Seriously! What kind of idyllic, compassionate planet are you from?"

I laughed.

"Well, Mr. New Yorker, not everyone is going to mug you or try to sell you drugs. Some people are actually _genuinely _nice."

"Yeah, okay. Sure, Miss "I'm a New Yorker but I have an Arizona license plate""

I rolled my eyes.

"At least neither of us has the accent…"

"Good point."

The two of us leaned back against the wall of the NYPD building, smiling.

Then, my brain started working again.

_Wait a second…Did I just set myself up for a date with this guy? Oh crap…_

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	5. Plans for lunch

**I am SO happy that all you guys like the storyline! Well...here's another chapter! :)**

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After everything blew over, Mark and I drove down to the Life Café. I'd heard of the place, but never actually been to it. Mark, on the other hand, had been there more times than he could count, and could have given me directions to it from anywhere in the city. Or so he claimed…

So here I was, driving to some random location, with a random stranger that I didn't even know. Okay, so I knew him to the _briefest _extent…But, God! What was I doing? Ten years ago I wouldn't have done this!

Then again…ten years ago I was stupid enough to marry a guy named Oren and move to Phoenix with him. I mean, come on! Who would name their kid Oren?

As I drove, I turned to look over at the blonde, scruffy New-Yorker sitting in the seat beside me. What the heck was I even doing? He could be a drug addict, he could be a bookie, he could be an extremist…

_There's Kate's nickname again…Hottie Extremist Biker Guy…_

Blinking, I checked the GPS, though Mark had given me pretty good directions up until now…

"Soo…Mark…how much longer do I keep on this street?"

The bicyclist, who had been gazing absent-mindedly out the window, looked over at me.

"Huh?"

"The Life Café. How much longer do you think it'll be?" I asked, turning down a side-street that looked slightly promising.

Mark looked out the window again.

"Umm…I…Oh shit."

"What?" I slowed down, pulling into an empty lot.

"…Mark?"

He smiled nervously, tugging at the collar of his sweater.

"Um…yeah…I-I think…I think we might be lost."

"_Lost?" _

"Yeah…I-I kind of zoned out there…Totally my fault, I am so sorry."

"It's…fine." I shrugged, turning on my GPS.

"At least we're not _completely_ lost."

He nodded, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, it just stinks that we won't be able to eat at Life Café."

"…Can't we just plug it into the GPS?"

"I wish…"

"So, no then?"

Mark shook his head.

"Well…we could park the car and look for a deli or something."

I turned the car off and looked over at him, flashing him my best I'm-Totally-Ready-For-Anything look.

"As long as we don't lose the car."

* * *

We'd been walking for about twenty minutes, when Elizabeth looked over at me.

"So, Mr. Indestructible New-Yorker…where the heck are we going?"

"Uh…"

I looked around. I had absolutely _no idea _where we were, let alone where we were going. Nice going, Mark! Zone out and get yourself lost in the middle of NYC. And with the girl who nearly ran you over. What were you even thinking about, anyway?

_Life, finding a job, money, the rent…dating…_

Wait…what? Where the fuck did that come from?

Elizabeth turned to face me, her arms crossed.

"Well? Where are we?"

I looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of a street sign or something.

"Umm…Well…We're in New York…"

"Yes, I gathered."

"And we're across the street from…" I read an awning from across the street.

"…Forty-Third street Deli and Convenience Store. Hey!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"Okay, you got lucky." She muttered, taking a step off the curb, before looking back at me.

"Well? Are you just going to stand there?"

* * *

Mark and I had gotten sandwiches at the deli, and were currently walking back to wherever I had parked my car. We hadn't spoken since we left, so I turned to look at him, attempting to make conversation.

"So…you said you're a filmmaker?"

He nodded.

"I was."

"Was?"

"Haven't picked up a camera in two years." He stated, I touch of regret in his voice.

I raised an eyebrow.

"…You miss filming?"

He shrugged.

"It wasn't getting me anywhere. It was a fun hobby…I guess…but…" He looked thoughtful, but I guess he couldn't quite figure out what to say.

"You sound unsure." I said, continuing walking. I'd spotted my car, but I decided on the spur of the moment to continue walking and keep chatting with Mark. It's not like we'd get lost or anything…as long as we kept walking in this general direction…

He shrugged.

"I mean, I-I don't know. I guess I miss it…but I…I used to dream about being a famous director and screenwriter…but I guess…I don't know! Look, you must know what it feels like, haven't you ever given up a dream?"

I stopped walking and stared at him.

"Yeah..."

He nodded.

"Well, I guess it's like that. I guess filmmaking was just a dream that I…I just lost track of."

I looked at him.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to give it up forever. I mean Mark, look at me! I'm thirty-eight, and I'm _just _coming back to New York to follow my dreams! It's never too late!"

He laughed, running his fingers though his short, scruffy blonde hair.

"So, you're a motivational speaker then?"

"No…wait, what?"

He grinned.

"I was joking. What you just said, it sounded like something one of those professional motivational speakers would say."

"Gee, thanks."

"Sorry!" He held up his hands defensively.

"Look, I didn't mean anything by it, honest."

I smiled.

"Thanks."

He stopped walking and looked down at me.

"Where the heck did you park your car?"

I looked over my shoulder.

"Ah, about that…"

"What?"

"I…might have parked the car about…five blocks back."

"Oh, _that _would explain the long walk…" he pointed across the street to an old looking, broken-down building.

"And it would also explain why we're right outside my apartment."

I squinted at the shabby apartment building. The bricks were crumbling, the windows were covered with plywood, and the fire escape looked as if it was about to rust off the side of the building.

"_This _is where you live?"

Mark looked embarrassed.

"Yeah…It's all I can afford at this point…" He looked over at me, then back at his apartment building. He held up the brown paper bag that held the sandwiches we'd gotten from the deli.

"Ah…you, umm…you want to come in and have lunch?"

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	6. Mark's apartment

Climbing the stairs to "my apartment" I instantly regretted my decision. God, what was I doing? I wasn't exactly in the best situation to be inviting someone into my apartment. My apartment…yeah, like you could even call it an apartment…

We reached the door to my…residence…and I pushed open the door.

Elizabeth looked surprised.

"You leave your apartment door unlocked?"

I laughed nervously.

"Uh, yeah…there's not much anyone would want to steal, anyway."

She nodded, giving me a skeptical look.

"Okay…"

She followed me inside, and I could tell she was a little shocked. Okay, more than a little…

"Wow.

She looked over at me, then at the vacant, almost-empty room that was my apartment.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were short on cash…"

I nodded. Walking across the floor, I grabbed two metal folding chairs that I had…_borrowed_ from the community center and set them up in the center of the floor.

Elizabeth smiled, sitting down and handing me the sandwich that I'd gotten at the deli. I still felt bad that she had paid for it, but I didn't protest. I mean, if someone offers to pay for your lunch and you haven't had a decent meal since last month, it wouldn't be in your best interest to decline the offer.

She looked around the apartment, probably trying to figure out if I actually lived here, or this was just a weird, practical joke.

"So…you _live _here?"

"Yeah…" _Oh crap. She's probably never going to talk to me ever again. Good going, genius…_

She nodded, obviously a little weirded out by all this.

"Uh…do you own _anything? _Because I don't really see much stuff…"

"I…ah, I have a bed, dishes, I have the basic stuff, you know?"

"Oh. Yeah."

Suddenly, her phone rang. She glanced down at the caller ID, then got up from her chair.

"Ah…it's my friend Kate. Mind if I take this?"

"Oh, no. Not at all."

* * *

I stepped outside and answered the phone, glad for a distraction.

"Hi, Kate?"

"Hey Liz. How's your _date_ going?" She asked, putting extra emphasis on the word "date."

I blushed, hoping that Mark couldn't hear the conversation.

"Kate, it's not a date." I hissed.

"And it was going fine."

I could hear laughter over the other side of the line.

"Fine?"

I facepalmed.

"Yes. Until he invited me back to his apartment…"

"Oooh…how's it goin?"

"Well…"

"Come on, girl! If you're not going to tell me over the phone, you're gonna have to meet me for coffee so I can pry it out of you."

"That's an option?"

"I suppose. So, what's it gonna be?"

"I'll be there in ten, okay? Meet you outside your apartment?"

"No prob! See you in a few!"


	7. Visitors at the apartment 1

After Elizabeth left, I closed the door and sat back down in my chair. I groaned, dropping my head into my hands. That was _so _smart! Invite her into your apartment! Yeah…because that's such a good idea!

The door opened, and I looked up. I _really _hoped that it wasn't Elizabeth…

But instead, a certain blonde musician walked through the doorway.

"Roger!" I jumped up and walked over to him, pulling him into a hug.

"It's been, like, _two years!_ Where've you been?"

He laughed, squirming out of the hug and messing up my hair.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Uh, YEAH I would. You didn't even call!"

He shrugged, looking around my apartment.

"Wow Mark…did you sell all your stuff on Ebay or something?"

"I needed money, okay?"

He laughed, sitting down in one of the chairs. Then, he looked confused.

"Wait, where's your camera?"

"Oh. Um…" I cringed.

"…About that…"

Roger looked surprised.

"Damn! You didn't sell it, did you? Oh God, Mark…"

"I didn't sell it!" I said, holding my hands up defensively.

"I just…I haven't touched it since you last visited…"

"Why? When we were roommates you wouldn't put it down! I could've sworn you fucking slept with it!"

I looked down at my feet.

"Yeah, well…that was a long time ago…"

Roger looked unconvinced.

"You're _kidding, _right? Mark, you LIVE for filming!"

"Live-_ed. _As in the _past tense._"

"What happened to you? What happened to the Mark that'd film anything at the drop of a hat?"

"Life happened." I muttered.

"And what about you? What've YOU been doing, Mr. Rockstar?"

Roger grinned.

"I got a job teaching music at the community center back in Santa Fe." He said proudly.

"And Mimi and I are planning on becoming foster parents."

My eyes widened.

"A kid? Wow."

Roger rolled his eyes.

"No dipshit, a panda. What'd you think?"

Still shocked, I didn't come up with a retort.

"That's a really big commitment, Rodge. I mean, what if-"

I hated to bring up his and Mimi's diagnosis, but it was an unavoidable subject in this case.

Roger nodded.

"-I know. But Meems and I've decided to foster a kid who's a little older. Like mid-teens maybe."

"Well, you're sure doing a lot more with your life than I am."

He looked over at me.

"But seriously, Mark. _Two whole years? _What've you been doing?"

I shrugged, not too sure about what the fuck I was doing half the time either.

"I mean…I got a job at the TV studio."

"I knew it. I knew you couldn't stay away from filming! What do you do?"

"…I work in the mailroom." I mumbled awkwardly.

Roger just stared at me.

I looked back at him, not sure how to respond.

"…It's a job."

"No shit, of course it is. But why didn't you show them some of your footage or something?"

"Roger, I haven't filmed anything for two whole years. What the fuck would I show them?"

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"…What about that film you made of all of us that one year? What was it called again?"

"Today 4 You: Proof Positive." I said.

"But I filmed that, like…twelve years ago! It's stored on a freaking film reel!"

"You could always convert it onto a cd."

"I don't have a computer."

"You don't…SERIOUSLY, Mark?"

"What?"

Roger facepalmed, looking at me like I'd just said the stupidest thing known to mankind.

"It's 2014, and you don't have a computer? Next thing, you're gonna tell me you don't own a cell phone!"

I gave him a blank stare.

He raised an eyebrow.

"…You _don't_ have a cell phone, do you?"

"…I have the landline. That counts…right?"

"No, not really." Roger said, almost laughing.

"Gee, thanks."

"Buddy, you're living back in 1996. It's _2014._ We need to get you up to speed." He said, getting up and heading towards the door.

"Come on."

I stared at him.

"…Where are we-"

"-Mark, so help me if you don't come with me I will drag you out of your apartment. Don't ask questions."

Tentatively, I got up and followed him out the door.

"Okay, but if we're going shopping I'm going to jump off the fire escape right now." I said, almost completely serious.

Roger just laughed.


End file.
